Greensboro’s 9th Annual Run 4 the Greenway a Smashing Success with "Go Green" Theme

Held this year on Saturday, October 27^th at Morehead Park on the Downtown Greenway, the Run 4 the Greenway event featured both a one-mile-long costumed walk/run and “doggie jog” and a four-mile-long road race, with routes that wound around downtown Greensboro, past water stations and cheering crowds, to Morehead Park, where an awards ceremony followed. There was also a costume contest, with prizes for the best adult, kid, and dog costumes, to add to the fun! It all culminated in a big party, with music, entertainment, kid’s activities, and food. There was even a beer garden available for the adult guests.

This year’s theme was ‘Go Green’sboro, incorporating environmentally-friendly features. One of the corporate sponsors was Unifi Manufacturing, Inc., a company headquartered in Greensboro that recycles plastic bottles into polyester yarn called REPREVE (more info on REPREVE here: https://repreve.com/ ). It can be used to make all sorts of things, including the t-shirts that were given to runners and volunteers for the event. Each shirt contained five water bottles’ worth of recycled PET plastic, and was wonderfully soft and comfy, with a great design and colors, as you can see from the picture. Unifi also provided a big green recycling bin where people could exchange their water bottles for environmentally-friendly, reusable stainless steel straws provided by Brooks Pierce, a local law firm. Everyone was getting in on the green action!

The Greenway is a planned four-mile loop of pedestrian and biking trails around downtown Greensboro that features public art and some nice green spaces for people to enjoy while getting some fresh air and exercise. It is partially completed, and recently a new section opened along Bragg Street between Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Five Points, where Freeman Mill Road meets Gate City Blvd. The trail continues through Morehead Park up to Spring Garden Street. There is also a section open in the northern part of the loop, along Smith, Eugene, and Fisher Streets between Spring and Greene Streets, around LoFi Park. 

Laura Lorenz, Downtown Greenway Assistant & Campaign Manager and Run 4 the Greenway Race Director, reported that with over 250 runners, walkers, and party-goers, it was a great event, and she is looking forward to next year's event, which will feature new race routes and a new location. Looks like we're keepin' it fresh as well as keepin' it green! Here is the link for the Greenway project website: http://downtowngreenway.org/

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Photograph provided courtesy of Unifi Manufacturing, Inc. 

Important Voting Dates - Take Note and Vote, Greensboro!

We always focus on what's good in Greensboro, and voting is very good, indeed! From the State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement, here are the most important dates on the calendar for this year's election:

5:00 p.m. Friday, October 12th - Regular Voter Registration Deadline
Registration forms must be postmarked or delivered to your county elections office by 5pm in order to vote on Election Day (Tuesday, November 6th). However, if for some reason you cannot get your registration form in by this date, you can still vote! If you attend One-Stop Early Voting, you may register then.

Wednesday, October 17th - Beginning of One-Stop Early Voting 
You may register AND vote at any One-Stop Early Voting Location in the county in which you live. For locations and hours of the One-Stop Early Voting locations, you can call your county elections office or check here: vt.ncsbe.gov/OSSite

5:00 p.m. Tuesday, October 30th - Deadline to Request a Mail-In Absentee Ballot
Requests must be received by your county elections office by 5pm on this date (not just postmarked, received).

Saturday, November 3rd - End of One-Stop Early Voting and Same-Day Registration

Tuesday, November 6th - ELECTION DAY
Polls open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Your polling place is listed on your voter registration card, or check here: vt.ncsbe.PPLkup

Voting is a duty, a right, and a privilege. Please exercise it and make your voice heard!

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Image credit - https://pixabay.com/en/vote-generic-2016-america-campaign-1286584/

Recycling Standards for Greensboro Will Be Enforced

Recycling can help save the environment, but you have to do it right.

It's fantastic that Greensboro has curbside recycling, because so many places don't. However, the City's contamination rate, which means regular trash found in the recycling bin, is a whopping 21%, as opposed to the national average rate of 5%. That's not what's good in Greensboro!

The City isn't going to stop the recycling program, thank goodness, but it is going to have to carry out new measures to try to keep trash out of the recycling stream. Recycling carts will be inspected and tagged if they contain trash, and a notice will be sent to you if your bin had trash in it. If multiple notices are necessary, the City will take your recycling cart. Please don't let that be you! If you're not sure what is and what is not recyclable, you can see the breakdown in this article:
http://whatsgoodingreensboro.blogspot.com/2014/11/city-issues-recycling-guidelines-for.html

You can also download the City of Greensboro's waste collection app, explained in this article:
http://whatsgoodingreensboro.blogspot.com/2018/04/another-new-app-to-help-greensboro.html

If you want more detailed information about what is or what is not allowed in the recycling bin, you can also visit https://www.greensboro-nc.gov/departments/field-operations/recycle

Here's lots of ways to recycle other things that the City might not collect:
http://bucketofuseful.blogspot.com/2016/02/how-to-recycle-if-you-dont-have.html

Trash can cause major problems in the recycling stream--it can even endanger workers at the sorting facility. Let's keep everyone safe and do it right!

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Image credit: Pixabay https://pixabay.com/en/recycle-bin-container-recycling-24543/

Another New App to Help Greensboro Residents

The City of Greensboro has developed a new app for your smartphone to help organize your trash, recycling, yard waste and bulk waste collection. Simply download the free app from the iOS or Google Play stores or access it at www.greensboro-nc.gov/Collects and use it to:

• Sign up for collection reminders
• Download your collection schedule to your device's calendar
• Send texts to your family members to take your bins out to the curb
• Report any waste-related issues

So, no more searching for that calendar that was supposed to be on the fridge, trying to remember whether you are “red” or “blue”, or missing a collection because of a holiday you forgot. Get the app now, and get your garbage achievements unlocked!

For more apps that are handy for Greensboro residents, check this out!

http://whatsgoodingreensboro.blogspot.com/2017/10/apps-that-help-people-get-around-in.html

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Truck image from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/en/truck-heavy-weight-vehicle-trash-3321672/

Greensboro's Parks and Recreation Department Offers Boat Tours on Lake Townsend

Have you ever seen people out on a pontoon boat and thought, “That looks like fun!”? Well, you can get in on the fun with Greensboro Parks and Recreation Department's pontoon boat rides on Lake Townsend to look for wintering or migrating waterfowl. This is a fun and educational event for young and old alike. Get to know the local bird community while enjoying the brisk air and fresh new foliage. Dress warmly and bring binoculars and cameras to see what birds you can spot!

Tours are being held this Sunday, March 18^th and on Sunday, April 1^st. They begin at 3:00 pm and will be leaving from 6332 Lake Townsend Road in Browns Summit. Cost is a very reasonable $7. 00 per person. You do need to call ahead and let them know you're coming, though, so call 336-373-3741 to reserve your spot.

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Image of Lake Townsend from Wikimedia Commons
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lake_Townsend_-_panoramio.jpg

2018 Greensboro Parks and Recreation Fundraising Calendar on Sale Now

The Friends of Greensboro Parks and Recreation Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting programs, services, and facilities that enrich the lives of Greensboro residents, is currently selling their 2018 Parks and Recreation fundraising calendar. This calendar can be purchased online at www.paypal.me/2018ParkCalendar/15 or in person at the Parks and Recreation office, 1001 Fourth Street, from 9:00 am - 4:45 pm. The cost of the calendar is $12.00 if purchased in person and $15.00 if purchased online, which includes the $3.00 cost of shipping and handling. 

Money raised from the sales of this calendar helps to provide financial assistance for children to participate in the City's parks and recreation programs. For more information about the various programs offered by the Parks and Recreation Department, you can visit their section of the City of Greensboro's website. You can also read more in-depth about some of the programs that have been covered on this blog: 

Great Summer Programs for Teens and Kids in Greensboro

Greensboro City Public Outdoor Pools Will Open Memorial Day Weekend

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Parks and Recreation website: http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/index.aspx?page=1042